Dr. Roger Richards Retires The Rick Majors Memorial Challenge Trophy

by Mark Davis

Even though the hour was late, nearly 12:30 a.m., when the Thursday
evening performance was completed, the Friday Morning edition of the
67th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration still got
underway promptly at 9 a.m. with a 16 class schedule on hand featuring
the Trail Pleasure, Lite Shod, Park Pleasure, Show Pleasure, Weaning
and Yearling divisions.
First on the schedule was class 34, Owner-Amateur Novice Youth Riders
6-17 Years on Novice Plantation Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings,
Lite Shod.  Twelve of the 14 expected made the call to work for Call
Judge Stephen Brown and the panel.  Capturing the first blue ribbon of
the morning performance and a solid round of applause from the Calsonic
Arena crowd, was JFK's Royal Dream and Jason Laughlin riding for 4-J
Land and Cattle Company of Waynesville, Mo.  Blackberry Summer Wine and
BJ Richards accepted the reserve honors for The Stacey Richards Family
of Franklin, Tenn.  Taking the yellow streamer back out west, A
Classical Jazz and Carson Troth picked up third for Fran Cole of Grass
Valley, Calif.
Class 35 was up next to work the track as 12 of the 21 programmed
contenders worked as Judge Mack Motes called the gaits.  Setting the
competition on fire, Dragonfire and Jim Heiting put on a a stellar
performance to top the division for Jim & Cindy Heiting/Riverside's
Summit Ranch of Riverside, Calif.  This duo dominated competition on
the West Coast circuit in 2005 with wins at the Desert Classic, West
Coast Trainers' Show, the California All Amateur Show and the
California Celebration.  Armed Red Baron and owner/exhibitor Joe Dixon
of Dacula, Ga. rode to the red streamer in the division, while Senor
Generator and owner/exhibitor Mack Dekle of Shelbyville, Tenn. picked
up third.
It was time to hit the trail again in class 36A, Amateur Owned and
Trained Western Trail Pleasure, No Professional Training within 90
days.  Twenty-Two of the 26 expected entered Calsonic Arena to work for
their chance to ride away with the Celebration blue.  Judge Mike Sims
served as call judge in the event.  The local entries had the winning
ways in the division with the top three places staying in Bedford
County.  Making the ride with the blue was the reigning International
champion Pitcher Of Gold and Dr. Judy Moore for Moore & Foust Farm of
Shelbyville, Tenn.  Grandee Ann and owner/exhibitor Connie Waldo of
Shelbyville, Tenn. made the good ride for reserve.  The very stylish
black and white spotted Mr. Wolfgang Puck and owner/exhibitor Liz
Gassaway of Wartrace, Tenn. tied in the third position.
Twenty-two of the 24 with reservations worked for Celebration acclaim
in class 36B, Amateur Owned and Trained Western Trail Pleasure, No
Professional Training within 90 days as Judge Sam Sorrell called the
gaits.  Stealing the blue in the division by topping all five judge's
cards, was the team of Bluegrass Bandit and Jared Carrier taking the
blue back to the Bluegrass state for Chip and Bonnie Carrier of
Franklin, Ky.  The partners in crime had already hit Springfield,
Ohio's Ohio Classic and Murfreesboro, Tenn.'s International Grand
Championships.  Kathy Owen and Dixie Spirit made the good ride for
reserve for Double Springs Farm of Murfreesboro, Tenn.  Our Mystery Man
and Maggie Moore picked up the third award for Harvey and Maggie Moore
and Judy Locke of Orange, Calif. and Shelbyville, Tenn.
Everyone in the crowd got excited as class 37 made their way to the
ring with 15 of 17 entered making the call to work in the Owner-Amateur
Youth Riders 6-11 Years on Show Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings. 
Judge Rollie Beard led the panel in the event.  All the young riders
were working hard and it seemed as if each of them had their own fan
club cheering them on, but when the work was complete, only one team
could ride away with World Championship acclaim.  That team would be
Generator's Top Dollar and Hunter Hensley riding for Sam & Faye Bogle,
Hunter Hensley of Springfield and Sweetwater, Tenn.  Music In The Sky
and WhitLei Green were close behind in the reserve position for John
Eldridge & WhitLei Green of Chattanooga and Shelbyville, Tenn.  Dark
Illusion and Kristopher Ausburn accepted the third award for proud
grandparents, Red & Dot Strickland of Olive Branch, Miss.
It was time to be back in the western way for class 38, Owner-Amateur
Riders on Western Plantation Pleasure Walking Horses, Lite Shod. 
Eighteen of the 23 expected hit the rail to work under the watchful eye
of Judge Stephen Brown and staff.  Reigning World Grand Champion Calvin
Klein's Mystery and Jackie McKnight rode to the top of the division for
Sims and Jackie McKnight of Mason, Tenn.  Mystery preceded this win
with 2005 wins at Memphis, Tenn.'s Germantown Charity Horse Show and
Corinth, Miss.'s Magnolia Classic.  Drop The Hammer and owner/exhibitor
Rhonda Martocci of Franklin, Tenn. rode to the red streamer, while the
attractive palomino Our Mr. Hollywood and Patti Pollack picked up the
yellow streamer for Pollack's Silver Spur Ranch of San Martin, Calif.
The young riders were back in class 39, Owner-Amateur Youth Riders
6-17 on Plantation Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings, Lite Shod
(Canter), with all eight of the programmed entries making the gate call
to work for Judge Mack Motes and his cohorts.  When the work was
complete, it was the team of Ring The Man and owner/exhibitor Rachel
Burch taking the Celebration blue back to College Grove, Tenn.  Rachel
picked up 2005 wins at Starkville, Miss. and Gainesboro, Tenn.'s
Jackson County Horse Show, while Dad, Webby Burch captured the Open
Lite Shod preliminary and the Lite Shod Grand Championship at
Murfreesboro, Tenn.'s International Grand Championships.  Silver's
Spinal Tap and Jared Carrier accepted the reserve honors for Chip &
Bonny Carrier of Franklin, Ky.  BJ Richards and Blackberry's Summer
Wine picked up third for The Stacey Richards Family of Franklin, Tenn.
The kids kept control of the ring in class 40, Owner-Amateur Youth
Western Trail Pleasure, Riders 6-11 Years.  Judge Mike Sims called the
gaits in the division where 14 of the 15 expected made the ring.  The
little man, Hunter Morgan and his big horse, Royal's Sparkling Gen
dominated the competition to garner the win for grand dad, Doug Toone,
of Spangle, Wash.  The duo picked up a win earlier this month at
Murfreesboro, Tenn.'s International Grand Championships as well.  The
stylish spotted horse, Alen's Sunbeam carried owner/exhibitor Jake
Fraker of Cowan, Tenn. to the reserve honors with Bradley Richards and
reigning International champion Pride's General Delivery to third for
Bankemper, Richards & Temple of Franklin, Tenn.
The young horses and young exhibitors hit the track in class 41,
TWHBEA Youth Weanling, Handlers 6-17 Years.  Twenty-Seven of the 32
entered making the gate call to work under the watchful eye of Judge
Sam Sorrell and staff.  Walking to the winner's circle in the
competitive division was the team of Stormy's Silky Sue and Josh Jones
for J.T. and Martha Nelms of College Grove, Tenn.  This outstanding
young filly already topped the TWHBEA National Futurity on Wednesday
evening with trainer Robert Nelms.  With a loud cheer from the crowd,
Man In Charge and Natalie Johnson led to the reserve honors for Fred &
Vicki Benjamin of Humboldt, Tenn.  Sherriff Buford T. Justice and B.J.
Richards strolled to the third award for Joe & Beth Bankemper of
Franklin, Tenn.
Ten of the 15 expected made the call for class 42, Owner-Amateur
Riders on Park Pleasure Walking Horses, Two-Years-Old.  Judge Rollie
Beard served as call judge for the event.
Making the outstanding performance to top the division was the team of
Santana's Silver Streak and Bo Beam riding for Bo Beam and Bob Garber
of Union Grove, Ala. Beam, the son of Arab, Ala. trainer Steve Beam and
grandson of Hulaco, Ala. trainer Larry Latham , had  shown at The
Celebration on a number of occasions, but had never picked up that
first Celebration blue.  That's big enough news that it might just make
the front page of the Arab newspaper next week!  Reserve honors in the
event were captured by A Gold Eagle and owner/exhibitor Becky Barnes of
Wartrace, Tenn.  A Royal Gypsy and owner/exhibitor Mack Dekle of
Shelbyville, Tenn. rode to the yellow streamer.
The performance horses were back in Calsonic Arena for class 43,
Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 12-17 on Show Pleasure Walking Horse Mares
or Geldings.  Twenty of the 23 entered hit the track to work for Judge
Stephen Brown and the Celebration panel.   It was a "special" moment
for Olympic Special and Jordon Kidd as she rode to the top of the tough
division for Becky Kidd Day of Bell Buckle, Tenn.  A solid contender on
the Mid-South circuit all season, The Great Escape and Sara Akin picked
up the red streamer for mom, Camille Akin of Collierville, Tenn. 
Delight Of Jazz and Dustin Smith captured third for Smith & Chaffin of
Alvaton, Ky.
Back in the pleasure division, six of the nine expected hit the track
in class 44, Owner-Amateur Youth Riders 6-11 Years on Plantation
Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings, Lite Shod.  Judge Mack Motes served
as call judge in the division.  Topping the division for the second
consecutive year was the team of Double Java and Jacqueline Holtschult
riding for The Mike Chiappari Family/Shiloh Walkers of Santa Rosa,
Calif.  By the way, they picked up their second consecutive win with a
unanimous decision of the judging panel.  Command The Jewel and Emily
Pemberton picked up the reserve title for Mike Pemberton of Woodbury,
Tenn.  Gen's All Night, a classic horse, accepted third with Marina
Barclay in the irons for Bobby Barclay of South Fulton, Tenn.
Staying in the Lite Shod division, Class 45 brought the Owner-Amateur
Riders 50 Years and Over on Plantation Pleasure Walking Horses, Lite
Shod.  Twelve of the 21 with reservations made the call to work for
Celebration acclaim under the watchful eye of Judge Mike Sims and his
cohorts. Joltin' Joe DiMaggio certainly made the trip to Shelbyville
worthwhile.  The talented competitor already picked up two wins in the
Lite Shod Driving and Lite Shod Open with trainer Jamey Thompson and
today, it's Carleen Redman picking up the win for Gary & Carleen Redman
of Fontana, Calif.  Picking up her second reserve title of the week,
Elegance By Design and owner/exhibitor Nancy Lovato took the title back
to Lehi, Utah.  Commanding Dakota and Kathy Owen rode to third for
Kathy Owen & Judy Moore of Murfreesboro & Shelbyville, Tenn.
The young riders were back for class 46, Owner-Amateur Youth Riders
6-11 on Park Pleasure Walking Mares or Geldings.  Judge Sam Sorrell
served as call judge in the division which drew 12 of the 14 entered to
competition.  The multi-titled WC & WGC mare Captive Heart teamed up
with Jesse Barnes to top the strong division for Rush & Barnes of
Oxford, Mich. and Wartrace, Tenn.  Sunfire's Pheonix and Shelby Whitman
Van Dyke captured a popular reserve for Mike and Harriet Van Dyke of
Providence Forge, Va.  Claiming third was The Perfect Olympic and
Alexis Smith up for Mt. View Farms of Belvidere, Tenn.
The trainers hit the track for class 47, Plantation Pleasure Walking
Horses, Two-Years-Old, Lite Shod as 23 of the 31 entered made the call
to work for Judge Rollie Beard and the Celebration panel.  Repeating on
his TWHBEA National Futurity performance on Wednesday evening, Muchacha
Grande and Bobby Richards rode to the top of the division with a
unanimous decision of the judging panel for BJ  Richards of Franklin,
Tenn.  Reserve in the division was headed back across the pond to
Germany with Headed Jack's Way and Russell Keyser for Denise Bader &
Russell Keyser of Wemding, Germany and Bell Buckle, Tenn.  42ND Street
and Wendy Boyd accepted the third award for sister-in-law, Leah Boyd of
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
The final class of the Friday morning performance was class 48, TWHBEA
Youth Yearling Fillies or Geldings, Handlers 6-17 Years with 18 of the
20 expected making the gate call as Judge Stephen Brown led the panel. 
When the work was complete, it was Honky Tonk Jessie and Trevor Curtis
making the blue ribbon stroll for Dr. Roger Richards of Hendersonville,
Tenn.  This win, combined with his 2004 win with I'm Shania Twain,
retires The Rick Majors Memorial Challenge Trophy.  Reserve honors in
the division went to another Roger Richards owned entry, Monica Power,
handled by Taylor Morgan.  A Jazz Attraction and Luke Washburn were
third for The Curt Washburn Family of Fayetteville, Tenn.
With one final pass by Trevor and Jessie, the Friday morning
performance was complete, roughly five hours after it began.
Remember, the morning classes take a brief hiatus on Sunday before
returning for the final session on Monday morning featuring the
Weanling and Equitation divisions, including the Auxiliary Equitation
Championship.  Make plans to be in Shelbyville and be a part of history
in the making.